, the Nobel Prize has been awarded to 975 people and 27 organizations since it was founded in 1901. , two Koreans have become a Nobel laureate: South Korean President Kim Dae-jung and writer Han Kang.
Kim was awarded the 2000 Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to push for national reconciliation between the divided Koreas during a summit meeting in Pyongyang. One American who was born in South Korea to non-Korean parents, Charles J. Pedersen, won the 1987 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
Despite only having two Nobel laureates, numerous North and South Korean individuals (both citizens within the country and living in diasporic communities) and organizations have been nominated for the prize in any category.
It was speculated that poor basic science education in school and universities was behind this, and steps were proposed to improve. In 2022, President Yoon Suk-yeol voiced optimism over the future of the field of science in Korea, saying "Korea will have Nobel laureates soon." For comparison, Japan had 32 Nobel laureates in science .
Laureates Year Image Laureate Born Died Field Citation Citizens2000Kim Dae-jung[김대중]6 January 1924 Hauido, South Jeolla, South Korea18 August 2009 Seoul, South KoreaPeace"for his work for democracy and human rights in South Korea and in East Asia in general, and for peace and reconciliation with North Korea in particular."The Nobel Peace Prize 2000 nobelprize.org2024Han Kang[한강]27 November 1970 Gwangju, South KoreaLiterature"for her intense poetic prose that confronts historical traumas and exposes the fragility of human life." Diaspora1987 Charles J. Pedersen3 October 1904 Busan, South Korea26 October 1989 Salem, New Jersey, United StatesChemistry"for their development and use of molecules with structure-specific interactions of high selectivity."The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1987 nobelprize.org (jointly with American chemist Donald J. Cram and French chemist Jean-Marie Lehn)
Nominations The first Korean to earn a nomination for the Nobel Prize was the poet Yi Gwangsu.Nomination archive – Kwang-Soo Lee nobelprize.org Unfortunately he died in 1950, therefore his nomination was done posthumously and, according to the Nobel statutes, posthumous nominations are automatically disqualified during the committee's deliberations. Only living individuals and existing organizations are permitted to be nominated. Since then, other Koreans began getting nominated for the prestigious Swedish prize in different categories. The following list are the nominees with verified nominations from the Nobel Committee and recognized international organizations. There are also other purported nominees whose nominations are yet to be verified since the archives are revealed 50 years after, among them: For Physics: Benjamin W. Lee (1935–1977), Moo-Young Han (1934–2016), Jisoon Ihm (born 1954), Noh Tae-won (born 1957) and Philip Kim (born 1967). For Chemistry: Yoon Nung-min (1927–2009), Kim Kimoon (born 1954), Ryoo Ryong (born 1955), Nam-Gyu Park (born 1960), Hyeon Taeghwan (born 1964) and YoungSoo Kim (born 1978). For Physiology or Medicine: Ho Wang Lee (1928–2022), Yu Myeong-Hee (born 1954), V. Narry Kim (born 1969) and Charles Lee (born 1969). For Literature: Kim Dongni (1913–1995), Hwang Sun-won (1915–2000), Seo Jeong-ju (1915–2000), Ku Sang (1919–2004), Pak Kyongni (1926–2008), Park Wan-suh (1931–2011), Choe Inhun (1936–2018), Ko Un (born 1933), Claudia Lee Hae-in (born 1933), Hwang Sok-yong (born 1943), Yi Munyeol (born 1948), Kim Hyesoon (born 1955), Yi Seungu (born 1959), Shin Kyung-sook (born 1963) and Kim Young-ha (born 1968). For Peace: Chang Chun-ha (1918–1975), Kim Yong-ki (1908–1988), Chang Kee-ryo (1911–1995), Lee Tai-young (1914–1998), Lee Jong-wook (1945–2006), Archbp. Stephen Kim Sou-hwan (1922–2009), Park Won-soon (1955–2020), Han Seung-soo (born 1936), Ban Ki-moon (born 1944), John Woong-Jin Oh (born 1944), Kim Jong-ki (born 1947), Moon Jae-in (born 1953), Pomnyun Sunim (born 1953), Kitack Lim (born 1956), and Kim Jung-un (born 1984). For Economics: Hyun-Song Shin (born 1959) and Ha-Joon Chang (born 1963).
Nominees PictureNameBornDiedYears NominatedNotes Physiology or MedicineBun-ichi Hasama[挾間 文一]1898 Ōita, Japan19461938Nominated by Albrecht Bethe (1872–1954). LiteratureYi Gwangsu[이광수](posthumously nominated)1 February 1892 Chongju, North Pyongan, North Korea25 October 1950 Manpo, Chagang, North Korea1970Nominated by Baek Cheol (1908–1985).Younghill Kang[강용흘]5 June 1898 Hongwon, South Hamgyong, North Korea2 December 1972 Satellite Beach, Florida, United States1971Nominated by Robert Payne (1911–1983).Eun Kook Kim[김은국]13 March 1932 Hamhung, South Hamgyong, North Korea23 June 2009 Shutesbury, Massachusetts, United States1971Nominated by Baek Cheol (1908–1985). Pak Tu-jin[박두진]10 March 1916 Anseong, Gyeonggi, South Korea16 September 1998 Seoul, South Korea1972Nominated by Baek Cheol (1908–1985).Kim Chi-ha[김지하]4 February 1941 Mokpo, South Jeolla, South Korea8 May 2022 Wonju, Gangwon, South Korea1976Seo Jeong-ju[서정주]18 May 1915 Gochang, North Jeolla, South Korea24 December 2000 Seoul, South Korea1978, 1983, 1985, 1988, 1995Kim Dongni[김동리]24 November 1913 Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang, South Korea17 June 1995 Seoul, South Korea1985Ko Un[고은]1 August 1933 Gunsan, North Jeolla, South Korea(aged )2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025O Jeonghui[오정희]9 November 1947 Seoul, South Korea(aged )2013, 2014, 2015Mun Jeonghui[문정희]25 May 1947 Boseong, South Jeolla, South Korea(aged )2016, 2017, 2020, 2021, 2023Kim Hyesoon[김혜순]26 October 1955 Uljin, North Gyeongsang, South Korea(aged )2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024Choi Seung-ja[최승자]1952 Sejong City, South Korea(aged )2021Lee Hae-in[이해인]7 June 1945 Yanggu, Gangwon, South Korea(aged )2022, 2026Han Kang[한강]27 November 1970 Gwangju, South Korea(aged )2023, 2024Awarded the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature.Bae Suah[배수아]1965 Seoul, South Korea(aged )2024 PeaceHam Seok-heon[함석헌]13 March 1901Yomju, North Pyongan, North Korea4 February 1989 Seoul, South Korea1979, 1985Kim Dae-jung[김대중]6 January 1924 Hauido, South Jeolla, South Korea18 August 2009 Seoul, South Korea1987, 1999, 2000Awarded the 2000 Nobel Peace Prize.Moon Ik-hwan[문익환]2 June 1918 Longjing, Jilin, China18 January 1994 Fukuoka, Japan1992Sun Myung Moon[문선명]6 January 1920 Chongju, North Pyongan, North Korea3 September 2012 Gapyeong, Gyeonggi, South Korea2002Yoon Geum-soon[윤금순]1 October 1959 South Korea(aged )2005Nominated jointly by Ruth-Gaby Vermot-Mangold (1941–) as part of the 1000 PeaceWomen Across the Globe.Shin Heisoo [신희수]23 June 1950 Gyeonggi, South Korea(aged )2005Lee Hyun-Sook[이현숙]1958 South Korea(aged )2005Maria Rhie Chol-soon[이철순]South Korea2005Kim Sook-Im[김숙임]South Korea2005Jeong Yu-Jin [정유진]27 July 1977 South Korea(aged )2005Song Sin-do[송신도]24 November 1922 Chūseinan, South Korea16 December 2017 Tokyo, Japan2005Ban Ki-moon[반기문]13 June 1944 Eumseong, North Chungcheong, South Korea(aged )20148th Secretary-General of the United Nations (2007–2016)Marianne Stöger[고지선]24 April 1934Matrei am Brenner, Tyrol, Austria(aged )2017, 2020Margaritha Pissarek[백수선]9 June 1935Austria29 September 2023Innsbruck, Tyrol, Austria2017, 2020Hak Ja Han[한학자]10 February 1943 Anju, South Pyongan, North Korea(aged )2026Nominated by Ján Figeľ (1960–).People of South KoreaKorea2026
Nominators The following Korean individuals became qualified nominators of local and foreign contenders for the Nobel Prize in any category:Nomination archive – Nominators from Republic of Korea nobelprize.org
Image Nominator Born Died Nominee Motivation Year Nominated LiteratureBaek Cheol[백철]18 March 1908 Uiju, North Pyongan, North Korea13 October 1985 Seoul, South KoreaYi Gwangsu (1892–1950)It Is Love (1909)Heartless (1917)Danjong Aesa (1929)Soil (1932)1970Nomination archive – Chull Paik nobelprize.orgEun Kook Kim (1932–2009)The Martyred (1964)The Innocent (1968)Lost Names (1970)In Search of Lost Years (1985)1971Pak Tu-jin(1916–1998)The Sun (1949)A Prayer at Noon (1953)A Human Jungle (1963)Chronicles of Water and Stone (1973)1972 PeaceMun Hui-sok1977 South KoreaUniversal Esperanto Association (founded in 1908)"for their contribution to eliminating misunderstandings, suspicion and hatred amongst nations through the international language Esperanto."1962Nomination archive – Mun Hui-Soh nobelprize.orgRhee Hyo-sang [이효상]14 January 1906 Jung, Daegu, North Gyeongsang, South Korea18 June 1989 Seoul, South KoreaHermann Gmeiner (1919–1986)"for founding SOS Children's Villages, and through his work gathering millions of people in the cause of good will for abandoned children."1965Nomination archive – Rhee Hyo Sang nobelprize.orgHi Sup Chung[정희섭]1 February 1920Pyongwon, South Pyongan, North Korea26 October 1987Uiwang, Gyeonggi, South KoreaSpurgeon Milton Keeney (1893–1988)"for having, throughout his life, strived for freedom of the individual and full development of human beings as persons and for continuously striving for human betterment, for the dignity of the individual and for the coming together of all people."1969Nomination archive – Hi Sup Chung nobelprize.orgLee Hai-rang[이해랑]22 July 1916Seoul, South Korea8 April 1989Seoul, South Korea Pearl S. Buck (1892–1973)1972Kim Jong-pil[김종필]7 January 1926 South Chungcheong, South Korea23 June 2018 Seoul, South Korea1972Kim Hwang-sik[김황식]9 August 1948 Jangseong, South Jeolla, South KoreaMarianne Stöger(born 1934)"for their four decades of work on Sorok Island, looking after Hansen's disease patients with all their hearts."2020Margaritha Pissarek(1935–2023)
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